The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (WSA) released their preliminary spring runoff outlook for 2019.
The WSA is expecting a below normal spring runoff for most of southern Saskatchewan.
It says the southern part of the province received low amounts of rain during the summer and fall of 2018. Because of the dry conditions, there was very little soil moisture at freeze-up.
The WSA warned that the outlook could change with eight to 10 weeks of winter still remaining. It says it was take above average precipitation in February, March and April to bring above average spring runoff in most areas.
A below and well below normal snowmelt runoff is expected in the spring, which could bring a shortage of agricultural water supplies.
Unless conditions change, the WSA says it will be storing water during the snowmelt runoff period to keep water supplies adequate and lake levels desirable for recreational use.
